The rapid rise of heroin use has also worried the citizens as drug addicts can easily be spotted using drugs in nook and corners without any action on part of police and other authorities, sources said.

Sources added the main hub of heroin smuggling and sale is the houses located along the banks of Nullah Leh, mostly controlled by police stations Pirwadhai and Ganjmandi.

A senior lawyer told The Nation that the drug smugglers have hired a house adjacent to Azm-e-Shaoor School in Dhoke Dalal where heroin is being sold to drug addicts through a small window. He said the officials of police station Pirwadhai patrol on motorcycles in the area but they are not taking action against drug sellers.

Similarly, the residents of Jorian, within limits of PS Saddar Bairooni, informed that the sale of heroin is going unchecked in their areas.

They said they have approached Saddar Bairooni police about the crime but no action has been taken.

They said the police arrest the drug addicts instead of the drug sellers. They demanded Chief Minister of Punjab and Inspector General of Police Punjab to take action against the bosses of police and direct them to curb the sale of heroin and other drugs from the city.

City Police Officer (CPO) Abbas Ahsan, when contacted by The Nation for his comments, he assured action against drug abuse.